Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has announced significant progress in the assessment process for its National Essay Competition on Emergency Management Awareness, revealing that 1,089 entries have successfully advanced to the evaluation stage following a nationwide verification exercise.
Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, disclosed this while providing an official update on the competition after the close of submissions on April 15, 2026.
According to her, although close to 4,000 entries were initially received, the ongoing screening and verification process established a total of 1,757 entries across all categories after duplicates, incomplete submissions, and irregular entries were removed.
She explained that the 1,089 valid submissions now undergoing assessment were drawn from across the country, reflecting what she described as a strong and competitive pool of participants.
“The remaining entries were either disqualified for non-compliance with submission guidelines or received after the official deadline, in line with the rules governing the competition,” she stated.
The NEMA boss further revealed that the tertiary institution category recorded the highest participation level, followed by the secondary school category and the NYSC Emergency Management Vanguards category.
She noted that the response from young Nigerians demonstrated growing awareness and interest in disaster preparedness, risk management, and emergency response issues across the country.
Umar also observed that a significant number of entries were submitted in the final days before the deadline, indicating sustained enthusiasm and nationwide engagement with the initiative.
She assured participants that the assessment process was being conducted under a rigorous, transparent, and merit-based framework by an expert panel comprising specialists in disaster risk management and development communication.
According to her, every qualifying submission is receiving due consideration, while all outcomes would be properly documented to guarantee the integrity of the competition process.
She added that NEMA would continue to provide regular updates as the evaluation progresses ahead of the eventual announcement of winners.
The NEMA Director General emphasized that beyond the statistics, the competition has successfully reinforced national awareness on disaster preparedness and emergency management, particularly among young Nigerians.
She commended participants for their enthusiasm and contributions, noting that the initiative continues to promote critical thinking around disaster risks and strengthen the culture of preparedness across the country.
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